A Little Lovin'
by hatesnutella
Summary: An unexpected run-in with Negan early in the apocalypse makes Kait Grimes' ability to detest him a bit more difficult than everyone else in Alexandria. As she struggles with the feelings she has for a man that once saved her life, Kait must choose between pursuing love and staying true to her family, all while fighting to stay alive. Some mentions of NON-CON, SMUT, and Violence.
1. A Savior

_Flashback_

Running fast through the trees, Kait struggled to run with her heavy supplies on her back. She had been relatively healthy before the apocalypse, but was definitely not one to go on a run for fun. At twenty-three years old and with what felt like close to two years in the apocalypse (checking the date wasn't a priority when you're trying not to be eaten alive) the pretty young brunette wished she had been more active pre-apocalypse.

You had to be somewhat fit to survive in this new world, and being constantly on the move had certainly helped in strengthening her muscles and making her leaner (that and the lack of food) but in this moment she cursed her body as she heard the heavy footsteps she had been avoiding for close to ten minutes getting closer.

Their voices called out tauntingly to her as when they discovered she was a woman, it seemed to arouse a sinister appetite in them. Any semblance of civility was ruined by this on-going hunt and the multiple voices hoot and hollering things like "come back baby" and "let me get a taste of that."

Her calves burning, Kait struggled not to slow down. She feared even turning around to see how close they were would give them an advantage that would be disastrous for her. She didn't even want to consider what they might have in store for her.

Breeding…

Cannibalism…

Good old-fashioned torture?

She tried not to let her thoughts linger on any of these, especially since she couldn't decide what was worse. In actuality it was a blessing that there didn't appear to be any walkers around. Guess that's what surviving in the mountains gets you.

All she felt in this moment was fear and anger, both mostly directed at herself. Being alone for most of the apocalypse, she had picked up on more than a few survival tips to guarantee her own safety. She was still considering what had gone wrong. It must've been the smoke from the small fire she had lit to fight off the brisk autumn weather of what she thought was somewhere in western Maryland. She had taken all the precautions to hide the smoke, but there's not much you can do to hide the smell.

Her inner voice laughed cruelly at the irony of this chase being what would finally shake the cold out of her bones.

Refocusing, Kait realized how much louder the men's footsteps had gotten and realized she could even hear their heavy breathing, as if it were her own. Seeing a smallish clearing ahead Kait foolishly chose to look back. Doing so she failed to see the embarrassingly small root in front of her that her shoe got stuck on, and was quickly thrown head first to the ground landing painfully on her knees with a loud THUD.

She struggled to get back to her feet but her error had given those pursuing her enough time to catch up and with a loud whoop rough hands grabbed her by the back and threw her to the ground again. Kait knew in that moment was fucked.

The same hands quickly grabbed her again and flipped her over pinning her to the ground. Above her a quite unattractive man with long grimy hair and a yellow smile looked down on her saying "Where you going baby, we're just looking for a good time." Kait struggled beneath the man and was met with a moan that made her stop cold. "Yes baby, I like to see you squirm" he said while he ran his hands up and down her sides.

Kait turned to see if the other men might be more helpful but found no help. The other two companions, vastly different in looks – one with long unruly hair and a large belly, and the other almost completely bald with a skinny lanky body and scarred neck leered just as menacingly at her.

"You ready for a good time girl?" the skinny man asked of her. The man above her only laughed "what Richardson you think you're gonna be the one to make her scream.?" "Oh I'll make her scream Donny" he replied.

Donny looked down at the hands belonging to Kait he still had pinned to the ground. "What do you think about that baby? Gonna scream for me, or maybe for Richardson or Micky over there? Faux whispering in her ear while grinding on her, his hot breath hitting her face while he said "you ready for me whore?"

Although terrified Kait had never been one to back down from a fight. Gaining some courage, she looked him square in the face spat a loud "fuck you" in his face.

His smile leaving his face as he swiped her spit off himself, he leaned his heavy weight off her, as if to see more of her before leaning dangerously close to say "that's a guarantee."

Before she could even consider running or responding a quick fist was given to her stomach and then again to her ribs. "You hear me bitch" he yelled, seemingly angry over her lack of response. The other men laughed as she quietly moaned in pain and attempted to get free.

"What do you say gentlemen? Think we deserve a treat for chasing down this little deer?" His two companions nodded enthusiastically and began moving closer.

Kait closed her eyes for a moment as she felt her stomach twist. Rape had become not exactly common during the apocalypse, as some people were interested in creating a future with some semblance of humanity, but it wasn't uncommon enough to be a surprise.

And yet in this moment she still felt shocked. Knowing that at least three men were about to hurt her in ways she probably couldn't imagine, made her feel like she could throw up. Kait had been a big proponent of advocating for sexual assault survivors while in college – a true liberal arts major, but never expected she would find herself in this position during the fucking apocalypse of all times.

Kait was pulled out of her thoughts as the leader of the group snipped "grab her arms" to another of his men. She quickly started screaming and struggling in hopes that anyone – the dead or the living might come to her rescue.

"Shut her up before the biters hear her" yelled one of the men They had easily seen through her plan. If she could get the walkers to show up, then she might have a chance to escape while they dealt with fighting the dead. Donny's putrid smelling hand was forced over her mouth that cut another one of her screams short, letting the echo die in the woods.

Thinking fast, she bit him on his hand attempting to rip out and cause as much damage as possible. His scream came out almost as loud as hers had as he pushed her towards one of his lackeys. Any hope she felt disappeared as the second man, Micky she thought to herself, swiftly landed shots to her ribs repeatedly, causing her to fall. She let out a seemingly never-ending scream as the rest of the men joined in beating her.

Kait knew in this moment she was likely to die. Although not entirely fearful, as this was the apocalypse and was to be expected, she closed her eyes and thought of her family who she had not seen or found since the apocalypse began. For all she knew they could already be waiting for her on the other side- wherever that might be anyways.

The men paused for a break and Kait struggled to take note of her injuries. Her face was definitely split and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to fight what appeared to be a broken wrist, let alone get up with the way her ribs felt. The taunts and jeers the men yelling at her seemed to be fading and the need to close her eyes became more and more inviting. It was only when she heard a sharp "HEY" from a new, unfamiliar voice that she realized, everyone had gone silent.

Still surrounded by her attackers, Kait struggled to see around the men and whether this person could be a potential ally. All she could see through their legs were a pair of the darkest military boots she had ever seen, and what looked like - a baseball bat? She knew her eye was swollen but something was definitely not right about that bat. She struggled to listen as the pain became increasingly unbearable.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing" came what could only be the most enchanting southern draw Kait had ever heard. She was not the kind of girl to be easily impressed – by a man no less, but she had enough experiences in college to know what men could induce that oh so nice toy-curling pleasure, simply by their voice alone. If this man's voice meant anything it was the promise of sin. Now, whether she'd be the one to benefit from it or not remained to be seen.

His question seemed to linger in the air, as her attackers didn't respond. She saw his boots take a threatening step forward and in a lowered tone, something Kait hadn't thought possible, he repeated himself with now open hostility and careful enunciation "I said what – the- _fuck_\- are you doing?"

The leader of your assault, Danny? Donny? took a half-step back before stuttering "b-boss, we weren't doing anything, just trying to get info out of this insurgent."

The unknown man replied with humor in his voice "you mean to tell me, this girl is one of the motor gang attackers who blew up the pipeline, and that _you, _the _dumbest motherfucker_, in the entire camp would get info out of her? Is _that_ what you're telling me? His voice growing more threatening with every word.

Lacking sanity or intelligence – or perhaps both, the third man Micky stepped forward with obvious lies. "Well sir she just seemed like one of those who had been seen in the area and we thought we could kick the info out of her."

There was a long pause before the stranger finally, with a slow drawl replied "well alright then" only further confirming to Kait that she would be dying to today. That was _until_ he seemingly out of nowhere began hitting Micky in the kneecap with his baseball bat. "I don't like liars" he yelled as his victim fell to the ground and cried out. He swung the bat again hitting him in the stomach, before ripping it out allowing blood and whatever else to squirt around him.

Kait could only watch in horror as he continued his assault before turning to the other two. Without warning he shot Richardson in the chest, further spreading blood and bone fragments around the clearing, leaving only Donny standing. The smell of piss and shit was clear in the air as Donny stood shaking while his friends exsanguinated and choked on their own blood beneath him.

"Please boss, I'm sorry. It won't happen again." The bat wielding man laughed as he simply said "You know the rules. We don't like rapists" before smashing the bat onto the man's head. The man continued his assault on various parts of his body, until the cries of the three men died with their broken bodies.

While the assault went on Kait had managed to slowly get herself into a sitting position and start to back away only stopping when she hit her back on a tree. She realized she was now alone with a possibly insane, bat wielding maniac. She leaned over in hopes of standing without him noticing but instead accidentally snapped a twig, making both of them suddenly go still. The man turned almost as if he had forgotten she had been present the whole time, and was the reason for his brutal assaults.

They both said nothing, seemingly eyeing each other up and looking to see whether they were a threat to the other. In that moment Kait was finally able to get a good look at the man who had saved her. The man before her was in his own way – beautiful. Tall, and handsome he had a salt and pepper beard covering his face, and a tight leather jacket that showed off his impressive muscles. It was his face though that gave the most away.

The lines on his face showed both years of smiling as well as hardship – something common for the apocalypse, but what was most telling were his eyes. They seemed to hold leadership and understanding and if she wasn't mistaken maybe even appreciation as he looked her over. Not in a way that made her skin crawl, but in a way that she had forgotten was possible. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time; an ache she had forgotten about.

Realizing how intensely she was staring at the man, she glanced down before looking up again not realizing how close he had gotten. Knowing she wasn't safe yet she looked him directly in the eyes and let out a soft "thank you"- hoping to let any semblance of femininity she had shine through. Although she was annoyed at the idea of being let go because she was a woman, she was willing to do whatever she needed to survive.

The man came even closer as he stood over her and tree she was still leaning on. Unsure of what would happen next she stared at the fringed end of his jeans and the black boots she was growing overly familiar with. Kait continued looking down til she noticed he had put his hand out in a way that signaled he meant to help her up.

Without thinking twice, she grabbed the man's calloused and surprisingly soft hand as he helped lift her to her feet and steady her as she struggled to remain standing. They stood remarkably close for strangers, and if someone had stumbled upon them in that moment, they might've thought they were lovers. Kait tried to avoid his eyes but seemed to be drawn to them over and over and over again. He seemed to find something in her eyes too and let out a soft chuckle before asking in his low drawl "what's a pretty doll like yourself doing out here all alone? You got a group?"

She found herself at a loss for words. How would telling a stranger she was on her own help? For all she knew he could be interested in doing unsavory (in the not fun way) things to her. She decided staying silent might play to her advantage. Her lack of response seemed not to impress him, but she knew she had to keep herself safe.

"Look doll" he started, seemingly waging some sort of internal battle with what to say as he ran his hand through his dark black hair and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry about what my men tried to do;" he seemed to be looking deep into Kait's eyes at this point. "I don't tolerate that shit" Kait smiled to herself as she looked at the bodies strewn around her – as if that wasn't evidence enough. His quiet "I'm sorry" brought her attention back to him and she surprisingly found herself getting even closer to him. If his reaction was anything to go by he was clearly shocked that a woman that had almost been raped by his companions was acting so suggestively.

Kait slowly and gently grabbed him by the front of his button down shirt before leaning in to whisper "I'm sorry too." His confused eyes quickly met hers as she grasped him tightly and proceeded to bring her head back and then quickly forward, head-banging him in the face.

The man fell to the ground moaning in pain a loud "What – the – fuck" while looking up at her in shock. She could see she had clearly met her mark. Ignoring her own pain and pounding head she quickly moved towards the man who was trying to get up, shocking him again when she punched him in the face, sending blood over the leaves beneath him and onto her knuckles as she broke his nose. His headed hit the ground hard after the punch she gave him and he appeared to be unconscious.

Knowing she was on limited time, Kait raced to grab her things, moving as fast as her injuries would allow. Hearing voices Kait knew her time was up and started to run only to turn to the man who had rescued her – her savior, before bending down to grab his gun out his waistband and whisper a quiet "goodbye."

Without looking back at the blood and mess she had been involved in she limped in the opposite direction as fast as her body would take her. Somehow she knew she had been wrong earlier - _THIS _ was the most fucked she had ever been.


	2. Moving Forward

Kait had been lucky that day. The voices faded behind her and she knew she had to leave the unknown man, her savior, in the past. Still struggling with her injuries the long trek through the woods was painful. The cool weather meant not having to worry about bugs, especially mosquitos, but the temperature was rapidly dropping as she continued.

After walking for what must have been three hours with no end to the woods or shelter in site, Kait searched the area for somewhere to sleep for the night. Setting up her tent would be risky, it made her more vulnerable to attack from the living or the dead and after just escaping clear threats she knew this wasn't an option. That and the fact she wasn't sure if she'd be able to put together a tent on her own with her injuries.

Scowering the area for somewhere with cover she looked wildly around to discover what looked like a ladder on a Pine tree twenty feet in front of her. Praying to the gods she was filled with relief when she realized she had found a deer stand. Definitely not her first choice with this weather, but it would keep her high enough to keep the dead and the animals away, and hopefully give her an advantage should anyone else find her.

With the sun quickly setting over her she knew she was running out of time to get herself to safety. Slowly and carefully climbing the rope ladder she finally made it to the top of the tree stand. The setup wasn't exactly large but she found an old ratty sleeping bag and some of the thermal hand coolers that she could break and stick in her shoes to help keep the cold away. Plus, since the ladder was woven she was able to pull it up making it virtually impossible for anyone to get to her while she was this vulnerable.

Snuggled into the sleeping bag and with the light blanket she carried she finally let the day's events settle over her. First a small cry and then a full out sob. The tears ran down her face swiftly and she struggled to breathe. A moan of pain slipped from her lips – was it the emotional or the physical pain causing this hurt? At this point it all felt the same to her.

Kait looked up towards the sky, and although it was blocked by treetops she could make out some of the stars and the light from the moon. In this moment all she could think about was how much she missed her father, and wished he was here to comfort her now. They had had their issues with each other, especially as she got older and he got remarried, but what she wouldn't do just to have her father hold her and tell her everything would be alright.

Scratch that –

Just to tell her he loved her until the end came for them.

She thought to herself _please god, help me find someone._

Knowing her crying could draw unplesant things to her she took deep breaths and calmed herself down. Wiping her tears, she carefully rolled over and pulled her blanket tighter. As the moon light drifted over her eyes drifted shut and her thoughts faded away.

It took two days before Kait gathered enough strength to continue on in the forest. She was running dangerously low on supplies and would do anything to get out of the cold. Continuing North, she kept going straight until luck would have it she found a house. Looking around it was surrounded by a large field with overgrown grass and

Watching the house for at least two hours she saw no sign of movement inside. The front door was locked but she found a window on the side unlocked. Ignoring the pain in her side she lifted herself up and quickly clambered in. She hit the ground and quickly picked herself up. She found she was in the dining room and slowly walked in into the kitchen.

Wanting to be prepared she grabbed a knife from the rack to put in her back pocket and picked up a pan. She let out a loud "hello?" and listened. Not hearing anything she moved towards the front of the house and found stairs. Again she let out a fairly loud "hello?"

Feeling confident she was alone she began walking around the stale house. First going upstairs just to be safe she found two bedrooms, and office, and a bathroom. Kait took her time going through each room in hopes of finding something helpful.

The smaller bedroom was a guest room and didn't have much except linens and some boxes of old papers. The office didn't turn much up either besides some electronics she'd never be able to use and some books. The master bedroom was what she was looking forward to. Stepping into the closet, Kait felt like she was in heaven.

The closet was still filled with clothing and had been arranged in an esthetically pleasing way. Ignoring the dresses and "pretty things" she found long-sleeve t-shirts and jackets hanging up. The western shore of Maryland got notoriously cold early in the season, so it wasn't unsurprising to find these items.

Pulling down three long-sleeve shirts and a heavy winter jacket she began searching through the shoes to see if there might be some boots. Not finding any she grabbed some tennis shoes that were a size too big and turned to the men's side of the closet and found a newish appearing pair of hiking boots.

Her hands getting full she pulled down a bag she could put her stuff in until she changed. Walking back in the room she headed straight for the dresser. Opening the top drawer, she pulled a handful of cotton underwear and two pairs of sports bra. Silently thanking the woman who had lived here for being so organized –something Kait had never quite managed to do she turned towards the other oak dresser in the room.

Having no need for men's boxers she pulled out all the thick wool men's socks she could find. Her thinking being that the larger socks would help fill the large boots on her feet and that men's socks tended to be thicker and taller- providing her with extra warmth.

Pit stopping in the bathroom she found some feminine wipes- always a blessing to have and grabbed all the feminine hygiene products she could find. God what she wouldn't do to have her old birth control pack to stop her period. Kait turned the knob on the sink, just in case something might happen but unsurprisingly nothing came out.

Heading downstairs she headed back to the kitchen in hopes of finding some food. Plugging her nose, she opened the fridge but found nothing edible inside. She went through every cabinet and drawer slowly – in case someone had stashed a candy bar or even some gum but came up with little. By the time she was done she had found a stale bag of pistachios, half a jar of peanut butter, and the best yet – a pack of Andes Mints. Plus, the drawers had turned up some triple A batteries and a new can opener she could take with her.

Walking around she struggled to decide what her next move should be. She'd be an idiot to go back outside in the cold, but staying inside could be risky. Anyone could do the same exact thing she had and get into the house with her noticing. Going back to towards the widow she had entered to lock it, she noticed a door that she hadn't seen before.

She knocked on it and listened for walkers but heard nothing. Slowly opening it she found she had entered a garage. She stepped down two steps and found herself standing next to a large Subaru and by another set up stairs. Looking around she saw fishing supplies, bikes, and more.

She walked up the unfinished wooden stairs and found herself staring at another ordinary door. Moving with little speed she realized she was standing in a converted attic, something that had probably acted as a 'man-cave' aka a place the man who lived here could watch porn without his wife judging him. Seeing a small mini-fridge next to the large couch she opened it and to her pleasure found four bottles of water, three cans of beer, and a can of coke.

Next to the fridge was a small basket with a mixed bag of chips and some un-popped popcorn. Again thanking someone above she decided that this is what she had been looking for. Somewhere temporary to keep her as safe as you could be in this world. Realizing she had spent the better part of the afternoon going through the house she decided it was time to "relax' (if such a thing was possible) she went and gathered all her things to bring up to her new "apartment."

First her new clothing and food and then some blankets and pillows to make her stay on the couch more comfortable. Passing through she grabbed some paper towels and an armful of glasses from a cabinet. Stepping up the stairs she threw the glasses two at a time down the stairs to spread the glass around. That way if anyone came round she at least have the heads up of hearing them step on it.

Going back up she stripped off her smelly clothes and stood naked in front of the mirror behind the door. Looking at herself she ran her hands down her body carefully touching her bruises and wincing when she applied pressure. Realizing how hard it was to look at herself she averted her eyes and set to putting on clean clothing in the first time she could remember.

Grabbing a book off the shelf and a bag of stale chips she treated herself to a late afternoon lunch and read until the skylight was unable to let any more sunshine in. With darkness upon her she drank a bottle of water and ate a small scoop of the peanut butter, and tucked herself up the multiple comforters she had brought from inside. Knowing her body would naturally wake her up likely before the sun even started shining, she closed her eyes and went to sleep in the cold, dark room.

_The Next Day _

Kait was surprised to find sunshine hitting her face the next day when she woke up. _Maybe it was the food or just being so warm_ she thought to herself that did the trick to let her sleep. Whatever it was she knew she needed to be productive and slowly stretched her body out, releasing a loud yawn. Laughing to herself she leaned over to put on her boots and headed down the stairs, carefully avoiding the glass she had thrown.

Getting to the bottom Kait realized two things in that moments:

One: She hadn't looked around the garage at all to see what might be helpful.

Two: She had to pee so bad she was ready to piss herself.

Running back in the house and up the stairs to the bathroom she let out a sigh of relief as her steady stream came out of her. Despite not being able to flush, there was something comforting about just being able to sit on a toilet.

Heading back to the garage she looked around to find endless things to look at. There were bikes, camping supplies and so much more that could be helpful to her – if she actually found somewhere to settle. _Fuck_ she thought to herself. Kait would be lying if she said she wasn't lonely. It's natural for humans to crave contact but she wasn't ready to give up on finding the people she loved. The chances were slim to none but weirder things had happened – they were currently living through the zombie apocalypse after all. Something told her it was time to make a decision.

Stay here.

Or go.

Looking over the large suburban in the middle of the garage she felt like the answer was in front of her. Seeing the keys hanging on a hook on the wall only seemed to further solidify the answer she already seemed to know. Unlocking it she slid inside, briefly checking the back seat for any walkers and put the key in the ignition. To her surprise it actually turned on and there was close to half a tank left.

For the first time in a while Kait felt hopeful. The next several days Kati spent stripping the house for all she could find. All the knives and pans were cleaned out of the kitchen and put in the trunk. Blankets, pillows, sheets, and towels were stored under the seats. She managed to put one of the bikes on the bike rack and fit the fishing pools and camping supplies insides. Not knowing what the future would hold Kait went ahead and also put some of the cut fire wood that was in the garage in the trunk. It was a _bitch_ to load but might be what saves her life someday.

Kait was reluctant to fill the space of the car with things she didn't need, but felt it would be a good idea to take the extra clothing she had found, especially the winter gear with her. She could always get rid of it, but she'd hate to think it could've made the difference between her living and dying. Plus, she argued to herself; the books she had been eyeing up could be used for pleasure or for burning. Her mind made up she grabbed a few that looked interesting to her.

The car now fully packed Kait knew it was time to move along. The map she had found in the center console and the registration information showed she was currently in a town called Swanton, Maryland. With this weather, she figured heading south would be her best choice for now. Looking around she finally found a general area she could head for, it was now just a matter of getting there. Route 68 and 70 would the quickest way, but if she ran into trouble it'd be impossible for her to climb the steep mountains with their falling rocks and sharp edges. Knowing she'd have no choice but to simply find out once she got there she put the map she had found with her gun on the seat next to her and backed out of the garage. It was time—she was headed towards Alexandria.


	3. Something New

It had been harder for Kait to get south than she had expected. Heading towards Alexandria meant going East first and like she had suspected route 68 and 70 were filled with vehicles and walkers blocking the road. What should have been a three hour drive at most, had already taken up a week of her time. The uphill driving and the constant need to stop to clear debris or divert meant the gas she had been so thankful for was rapidly depleting.

Based on her map, Kait knew she was within 75 miles of Alexandria but wasn't sure execatly what to do. This was just a place she had picked on a map. Would going further south be more in her favor?

The dark clouds she had been watching all afternoon rapidly became more menacing. Noticing a rest stop ahead she pulled in and parked the car right against the side of the bathrooms. This was the apocalypse, no one really cared about traffic laws anymore. Quickly slipping out of the car she ran inside to pee carefully and grab as much toilet paper out of the stalls as she could. She glanced into the small building adjacent to the bathrooms with VISITOR INFORMATION on the side and stepped in. After a short look around she found nothing of use and retreated out.

She backed the car into the grassy area behind a tree, that way if anyone did happen to come by then it might not be noticed from the road. Locking the doors, she blasted the heat as high as it would go and kept an eye on the clock. Three minutes of heat is all she would allow herself. Enough to mildly heat up the car and hopefully get her through the next few hours. While the heat was on she climbed into the middle row and laid her sleeping bag and all her blankets out. Not as nice as a bed but it would do, to sleep through this storm. Noticing her three minutes were up she leaned to the front and turned the car off before snuggling back up in the back and trying to sleep.

The next morning, she woke to the sound of loud scratching and thumping, and found two biters desperately trying to get in. Moving to the opposite side of the car she jumped out and came up behind them. She quickly drove her knife into the back of the skull of the first and kicked the second to the ground with her boot, before killing the second as well. Standing, she looked at herself with disgust as she noticed the blood all over her arms and then the biters now beneath her feet. Not wanting anyone to notice the dead around her car she slowly began dragging the dead into the tree line behind her.

"Nasty, mother fuckers" she whispered to herself as a blood trail was left behind them, suddenly reminding her of the three men she had seen killed almost two weeks before.

Standing alone in the trees she took a moment to take in the silence around her. Thinking about the times her father had taken her camping as a child, she was momentarily taken back to her youth. It was only when the undeniably potent smell of the dead became overwhelming, that she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and started walking back.

Grabbing some wipes from her care she carefully went into the bathroom stalls at the rest stop, cleaned herself and used the restroom. Taking the short walk back to her vehicle she hurried her steps as she felt something was amiss. Opening her car door part way her whole body went cold as she stopped with a dramatic suddenness.

There was something that had been on her windshield that hadn't been present the less than five minutes since she had been out there, a pack of water and a pair of gloves.

"What the fuck" she thought to herself as she whipped around looking for the person that might of left the stuff there. Her gun drawn and her left hand on the knife on her hip she ran around the car looking for any sign of anyone.

With the knowledge of what had happened the last time she was alone with strangers weighing heavily on her mind, she jumped back in the truck and struggled to get the key in the ignition. The roar of the engine and sound of the not yet warm heat blasting brought a sense of relief.

This was short lived however as when she took a deep breath her nose was shocked by the smell of something unfamiliar. Cocking her gun she turned around and with the most authoritative voice she could muster yelled "Sit up, I know you're in here."

To her horror, but not her surprise a young man sat up with his hands up. "Please listen" the man said in a what Kait thought was meant to be a soothing voice. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Pointing her gun at the man so he'd know how serious she was replied "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Taking a slow pause and a quick glance to her gun the man responded. "My name is Aaron and I want to help you. I'm from a safe place looking for more people." Seeing that she was less than convinced he continued. "For the sake of honesty, I've been following you, and I think you'd be a good fit."

This revelation brought Kait back to reality. "Fo- following me? What?" "How do I know this isn't a trap?" she asked with venom. If the apocalypse had taught her anything it was that people were always looking to exploit your weaknesses. There was no room for politeness or kindness.

"Please" Aaron responded. "I know this is hard, but you have to trust me. I've seen you Kait, you take the time to show decency to biters and are smart and calculated in every move you make. If you'll let me I have photos of the community I can show you. They're in the bag next to me."

Her thoughts racing rapidly she gave him a sharp nod, allowing him to drop his hands and reach for his bag. Looking to her for permission he unzipped the bag and handed her a small stack of photographs. Glancing at them she found photos of tall fences, homes, and even children playing. Looking back up she handed them to Aaron.

A moment of silence rested over them before Aaron started again. "if you want me to go, I'll go, but I think you'd be making a mistake.

Kait weighed the options in her head trying to make a decision on the fly. For some reason her father popped in her mind again and with his face in mind she made her choice. Knowing there was at least some truth in what the man – Aaron had been saying she calmly told him to "Get out."

Still seemingly well aware of the threat that Kait posed for Aaron he swiftly got out of the car and backed away as she joined him in getting out. Looking at her with desperation Aaron asked "can I at least have my bag?"

A simple yet resounding "no" came from Kait's mouth.

"Drive." She said.

"What did you say?" he asked with shock.

"Get up front and drive. You try anything and you're dead."

Still shocked by this turn of events Aaron got into the front seat and watched in the rear view mirror as Kait slid into the seat behind him. Making eye contact for what seemed like the thousandth time in the span of a few minutes he waited for her permission to drive, which came in the form of a raised eyebrow, and thus beginning their drive to Alexandria.


End file.
